公开(公告)号：US07991217B2

公开(公告)日：2011-08-02

申请号：US11704350

申请日：2007-02-09

申请人： Ryo Nakagaki ,  Masaki Kurihara ,  Toshifumi Honda

发明人： Ryo Nakagaki ,  Masaki Kurihara ,  Toshifumi Honda

IPC分类号： G06K9/00

CPC分类号： G06T7/0006 ,  G06K9/6256 ,  G06T7/0004 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/10056 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/30148

摘要： In apparatuses for automatically acquiring and also for automatically classifying images of defects present on a sample such as a semiconductor wafer, a classifying system is provided which are capable of readily accepting even such a case that a large number of classification classes are produced based upon a request issued by a user, and also even such a case that a basis of the classification class is changed in a high frequency. When the user defines the classification classes, a device for designating attributes owned by the respective classification classes is provided. The classifying system automatically changes a connecting mode between an internally-provided rule-based classifier and an example-based classifier, so that such a classifying system which is fitted to the classification basis of the user is automatically constructed.

摘要翻译： 在用于自动获取并且还自动分类诸如半导体晶片的样本上存在的缺陷的图像的设备中，提供了能够容易地接受甚至基于以下情况产生大量分类等级的情况的分类系统 由用户发出的请求，甚至是分类等级的基础被高频地改变的情况。 当用户定义分类类时，提供用于指定由各个分级类所拥有的属性的设备。 分类系统自动地在内部提供的基于规则的分类器和基于示例的分类器之间改变连接模式，从而自动构建适合用户分类基础的这样的分类系统。

公开(公告)号：US20110129141A1

公开(公告)日：2011-06-02

申请号：US13056046

申请日：2009-07-13

申请人： Takashi Hiroi ,  Takeyuki Yoshida ,  Naoki Hosoya ,  Toshifumi Honda

发明人： Takashi Hiroi ,  Takeyuki Yoshida ,  Naoki Hosoya ,  Toshifumi Honda

IPC分类号： G06K9/00

CPC分类号： G01N21/9501 ,  G01N21/95607 ,  G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  H01L22/12

摘要： Provided is an examination technique to detect defects with high sensitivity at an outer-most repeative portion of a memory mat of a semiconductor device and even in a peripheral circuit having no repetitiveness.A circuit pattern inspection apparatus comprises an image detection unit for acquiring an image of a circuit pattern composed of multiple die having a repeative pattern, a defect judgement unit which composes, in respect of an acquired detected image, reference images by switching addition objectives depending on regions of repeative pattern and the other regions and compares a composed reference image with the detected image to detect a defect, and a display unit for displaying the image of the detected defect.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种检测技术，用于在半导体器件的存储器衬底的最外侧的重复部分甚至在不具有重复性的外围电路中检测高灵敏度的缺陷。 电路图案检查装置包括：图像检测单元，用于获取由具有重复图案的多个芯片组成的电路图案的图像;缺陷判断单元，其针对所获取的检测图像构成参考图像，其根据 重复图案的区域和其他区域，并将合成的参考图像与检测到的图像进行比较以检测缺陷;以及显示单元，用于显示检测到的缺陷的图像。

公开(公告)号：US07873205B2

公开(公告)日：2011-01-18

申请号：US10809464

申请日：2004-03-26

申请人： Hirohito Okuda ,  Yuji Takagi ,  Toshifumi Honda ,  Atsushi Miyamoto ,  Takehiro Hirai

发明人： Hirohito Okuda ,  Yuji Takagi ,  Toshifumi Honda ,  Atsushi Miyamoto ,  Takehiro Hirai

IPC分类号： G06K9/00

CPC分类号： G06T7/0006 ,  G06K9/6277 ,  G06K9/6292 ,  G06T2207/30141 ,  G06T2207/30148

摘要： A classification model optimum for realization of a defect classification request by a user is not known by the user. Then, the user sets a classification model which is not necessarily suitable and makes classification, resulting in degradation in classification performance. Therefore, the present invention automatically generates plural potential classification models and combines class likelihoods calculated from the plural classification models to classify. To combine, an index about the adequacy of each model, in other words, an index indicating a reliable level of likelihood calculated from the each potential classification model, is also calculated. Considering the calculated result, the class likelihoods calculated from the plural classification models are combined to execute classification.

摘要翻译： 用户实现缺陷分类请求最优的分类模型是用户不知道的。 然后，用户设置不一定适合的分类模型，进行分类，导致分类性能下降。 因此，本发明自动生成多个潜在分类模型，并且将从多个分类模型计算出的类似度进行分类。 为了组合，还计算了关于每个模型的充分性的指数，换句话说，表示从每个潜在分类模型计算的可靠的似然水平的指数。 考虑到计算结果，将从多个分类模型计算的类似度组合起来进行分类。

公开(公告)号：US07656171B2

公开(公告)日：2010-02-02

申请号：US12285894

申请日：2008-10-16

申请人： Toshifumi Honda ,  Takehiro Hirai

发明人： Toshifumi Honda ,  Takehiro Hirai

IPC分类号： G01R31/305

CPC分类号： G01R31/307 ,  G01R31/2884 ,  H01J37/265 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/304 ,  H01J2237/221 ,  H01J2237/24564 ,  H01J2237/2487 ,  H01J2237/2594 ,  H01J2237/2817 ,  H01J2237/30416

摘要： A method and apparatus for detecting defects includes irradiating and scanning an electron beam focused on an area of a sample, detecting charged particles generated from the sample by the irradiating and scanning of the electron beam with a first detector which detects charged particles having relatively low energy to obtain a first image of the area and with a second detector which detects charged particles having relatively high energy to obtain a second image of the area, comparing the first inspection image of the area with a first reference image to generate a first difference image, and comparing obtained second image of the area with a second reference image to generate a second difference image, and detecting an open defect or a short defect from at least one of the generated first difference image and the second difference image.

摘要翻译： 用于检测缺陷的方法和装置包括：照射和扫描聚焦在样品区域上的电子束，通过用检测具有相对较低能量的带电粒子的第一检测器对电子束进行照射和扫描来检测从样品产生的带电粒子 为了获得该区域的第一图像，并且利用检测具有相对较高能量的带电粒子以获得该区域的第二图像的第二检测器，将该区域的第一检查图像与第一参考图像进行比较以生成第一差分图像， 以及将获得的区域的第二图像与第二参考图像进行比较以产生第二差分图像，并且从所生成的第一差分图像和第二差分图像中的至少一个检测开放缺陷或短缺陷。

公开(公告)号：US07626163B2

公开(公告)日：2009-12-01

申请号：US12033470

申请日：2008-02-19

申请人： Toshifumi Honda

发明人： Toshifumi Honda

IPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/256 ,  G01N23/04

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  G01N2223/6116 ,  G06T7/0006 ,  G06T2207/10056 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  H01J37/265 ,  H01J2237/2817

摘要： A defect review method and device of the invention solves the previous problem of a long inspection time that is caused by the increase of a process-margin-narrow pattern as a result of the size reduction of a semiconductor device. With the method and device of the invention, an SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) image is derived by capturing an image of a process-margin-narrow pattern portion extracted based on lithography simulation with image-capturing conditions of a relatively low resolution. The resulting SEM image is compared with CAD (Computer Aided Design) data for extraction of any abnormal section. An image of the area extracted as being abnormal is captured again, and the resulting high-resolution SEM image is compared again with the CAD data for defect classification based on the feature amount of the image, e.g., shape deformation. The abnormal section is then measured in dimension at a position preset for the classification result so that the time taken for inspection can be prevented from increasing.

摘要翻译： 本发明的缺陷评价方法和装置解决了由于半导体器件的尺寸减小导致的工艺边缘窄度图案的增加而导致的长检查时间的先前问题。 利用本发明的方法和装置，通过捕获基于光刻模拟提取的处理边缘窄图案部分的图像，以相对低分辨率的图像捕获条件来导出SEM（扫描电子显微镜）图像。 将所得SEM图像与CAD（计算机辅助设计）数据进行比较，以提取任何异常部分。 再次捕获提取为异常的区域的图像，并且基于图像的特征量（例如形状变形）将所得到的高分辨率SEM图像再次与用于缺陷分类的CAD数据进行比较。 然后在为分类结果预设的位置处的尺寸上测量异常部分，使得可以防止检查所花费的时间增加。

公开(公告)号：US20090231424A1

公开(公告)日：2009-09-17

申请号：US12379645

申请日：2009-02-26

申请人： Toshifumi Honda ,  Yuuji Takagi

发明人： Toshifumi Honda ,  Yuuji Takagi

IPC分类号： H04N7/18

CPC分类号： G06T7/0006 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

摘要： A hotspot searching apparatus manufactures a small number of chips or regions on a semiconductor wafer under respectively different manufacturing process conditions, compares SEM images of their external appearances to output a point having large differences as a narrow process window, that is, a process monitoring point that should be managed in mass production, the narrow process window having a narrow manufacturing process condition (exposure condition) in the manufacturing of the semiconductor wafer, and sets the point as a measurement point by a CD-SEM apparatus, such that it extracts and determines plural circuit pattern parts having a narrow manufacturing process margin as the process monitoring point in a short time and a process monitoring point monitoring performs shape inspection or shape length measurement in detail at high resolution.

摘要翻译： 热点搜索装置分别在不同的制造工艺条件下制造半导体晶片上的少量芯片或区域，比较其外观的SEM图像以输出具有较大差异的点作为窄工艺窗口，即处理监视点 应在大规模生产中进行管理，在半导体晶片的制造中具有窄制造工艺条件（曝光条件）的窄工艺窗口，并且通过CD-SEM装置将点设定为测量点，使得其提取和 在短时间内确定具有窄制造工艺余量的多个电路图形部分作为处理监视点，并且处理监视点监视以高分辨率详细地进行形状检查或形状长度测量。

公开(公告)号：US20070194231A1

公开(公告)日：2007-08-23

申请号：US11677669

申请日：2007-02-22

申请人： Kenji Nakahira ,  Toshifumi Honda

发明人： Kenji Nakahira ,  Toshifumi Honda

IPC分类号： G21K7/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/24592 ,  H01J2237/2807 ,  H01J2237/2817

摘要： Defect image display screens are capable of accurately presenting features of defects. On a thumbnail display screen of a defect, images likely to most clearly indicating features of the defect are determined in units of the defect from, for example, inspection information and a defect type, and then are displayed. On a detail display screen of a defect, for example, images for being displayed so as to clearly indicate features of the defect, and the display sequence thereof are determined in accordance with, for example, inspection information and a defect type, and then are displayed. Further, steps for acquiring a display image during or after defect image acquisition by using, for example, a different defect image acquisition apparatus and a different imaging condition in accordance with preliminarily specified rules are added to an imaging sequence (procedure).

摘要翻译： 缺陷图像显示屏幕能够准确地呈现缺陷的特征。 在缺陷的缩略图显示屏幕上，可能以最清楚地指示缺陷特征的图像以例如检查信息和缺陷类型的缺陷为单位来确定，然后被显示。 在缺陷的详细显示屏幕上，例如，根据例如检查信息和缺陷类型来确定用于显示以清楚地指示缺陷的特征的图像及其显示顺序，然后是 显示。 另外，通过使用例如不同的缺陷图像获取装置和根据预先规定的规则的不同的成像条件，在缺陷图像获取期间或之后获取显示图像的步骤被添加到成像序列（程序）中。

公开(公告)号：US20050194533A1

公开(公告)日：2005-09-08

申请号：US11020265

申请日：2004-12-27

申请人： Hirohito Okuda ,  Toshifumi Honda ,  Kazuo Aoki ,  Kohei Yamaguchi ,  Masashi Sakamoto

发明人： Hirohito Okuda ,  Toshifumi Honda ,  Kazuo Aoki ,  Kohei Yamaguchi ,  Masashi Sakamoto

IPC分类号： G21K7/00

CPC分类号： H01J37/21 ,  H01J37/28 ,  H01J2237/216 ,  H01J2237/2817

摘要： A method of observing a specimen using a scanning electron microscope, makes it possible to shorten the time required to perform automatic focusing at the time of semiconductor defect automatic review and improves the throughput in the processing in which the specimen is observed. In the above method, the specimen is imaged at a low resolution by the scanning electron microscope to obtain an image, an area for imaging the specimen at a high resolution is specified from the image acquired at the low resolution, the specimen is imaged at a high resolution by the scanning electron microscope to determine a focus position, a focal point of the scanning electron microscope is set to the determined focus position, and a high resolution image in the specified area is acquired in a state in which the focus position has been set to the determined focus position.

摘要翻译： 使用扫描电子显微镜观察样本的方法可以缩短在半导体缺陷自动检查时进行自动聚焦所需的时间，并且提高了观察样本的处理中的通过量。 在上述方法中，通过扫描电子显微镜以低分辨率对样本进行成像以获得图像，从以低分辨率获取的图像指定用于以高分辨率成像试样的区域，将样品在 通过扫描电子显微镜的高分辨率来确定聚焦位置，将扫描电子显微镜的焦点设置为确定的聚焦位置，并且在聚焦位置已经被处理的状态下获取指定区域中的高分辨率图像 设置为确定的焦点位置。

公开(公告)号：US20050121612A1

公开(公告)日：2005-06-09

申请号：US11042021

申请日：2005-01-24

申请人： Hirohito Okuda ,  Yuji Takagi ,  Toshifumi Honda

发明人： Hirohito Okuda ,  Yuji Takagi ,  Toshifumi Honda

IPC分类号： G01N23/225 ,  G06T1/00 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G21K7/00 ,  G01N23/00

CPC分类号： G06T7/0004 ,  G01N23/225

摘要： An apparatus and a method for automatically inspecting a defect by an electron beam using an X-ray detector. The composition of a defective portion is analyzed with higher rapidity and the cause of the defect is easily and accurately determined based on an X-ray spectrum. The X-ray spectrum and the image of foreign particles formed on a process QC wafer are registered as reference data, and the defects generated on a process wafer are classified by collation with the reference data. The use of both the X-ray spectrum and the detected image optimizes the operating conditions for X-ray detection. A defect of which the X ray is to be detected is selected based on the result of classification of defect images automatically collected, and the defect is classified according to the features including both the composition and the external appearance.

公开(公告)号：US09390490B2

公开(公告)日：2016-07-12

申请号：US13520210

申请日：2010-12-22

申请人： Yuji Takagi ,  Minoru Harada ,  Ryo Nakagaki ,  Naoki Hosoya ,  Toshifumi Honda ,  Takehiro Hirai

发明人： Yuji Takagi ,  Minoru Harada ,  Ryo Nakagaki ,  Naoki Hosoya ,  Toshifumi Honda ,  Takehiro Hirai

IPC分类号： H04N7/18 ,  G06T7/00 ,  H01L21/66

CPC分类号： G06T7/001 ,  G06T2207/10061 ,  G06T2207/20081 ,  G06T2207/30148 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L2924/0002 ,  H01L2924/00

摘要： In performing a programmed-point inspection of a circuit pattern using a review SEM, stable inspection can be performed while suppressing the generation of a false report even when a variation in a circuit pattern to be inspected is large. SEM images that are obtained by sequentially imaging a predetermined circuit pattern using the review SEM are stored into a storage unit. Images that meet a set condition are selected from the stored SEM images, and averaged to create an average image (GP image). By performing pattern check by GP comparison using this GP image, an inspection can be performed while suppressing the generation of a false report even when a variation in the circuit patterns is large.

摘要翻译： 在使用复查SEM执行电路图案的编程点检查时，即使在要检查的电路图案的变化大的情况下，也可以抑制误报的产生而进行稳定的检查。 通过使用评价SEM将预定电路图案顺序成像获得的SEM图像存储在存储单元中。 从存储的SEM图像中选择满足设定条件的图像，并平均以创建平均图像（GP图像）。 通过使用该GP图像通过GP比较进行模式检查，即使当电路图案的变化大时也可以在抑制伪报告的产生的同时执行检查。